Poland Stryker armored vehicles of US Army fire engine when on mission presence near the territory of Russia Kaliningrad.

The incident occurred earlier this week when armored vehicles carrying Stryker troops caught fire near the town of Gorzekaly, northeastern Poland. The vehicle is part of the US Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment participating in the Forward Presence (EFP) mission near the border of Russia's Kaliningrad territory.

Local fire forces deployed many fire engines to extinguish the fire. The two soldiers in the Stryker heard a loud noise and discovered smoke coming into the cabin, both escaping and unscathed.

"The car was recalled. Initial assessments showed that the fire was contained within the engine compartment, the car body suffered no damage other than some scorched marks," said US forces spokesman Joe Scrocca. said yesterday, but did not disclose the cause of the fire.

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment began its EFP mission earlier this year. This was in response to Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula and demonstrating relations between members of the NATO bloc.

NATO has continued to expand its presence to the east with military exercises and forces close to the Russian border since 2014, amid deteriorating bilateral relations. Moscow has repeatedly protested, arguing that this action weakened the region and led to a new arms race, warning that it would respond accordingly.

Location of Gorzekaly town and Kaliningrad territory. Graphics: Google Maps.